Like any year, the Braves lost a lot of pieces, but reloaded this offseason. Senior D.J. Uiagalelei, a Clemson commit, returns at quarterback with a more dynamic receiving corps than he’s had in the past thanks to Orange Lutheran transfer Logan Loya and the emergence of junior Beaux Collins. Mix that with running back Keith Savage and a stout offensive line anchored by Stanford commit Drake Metcalf, and the Braves might have a better offense than the one that scored 89 touchdowns a year ago. Senior linebacker Kourt Williams and USC commit Kobe Pepe lead a defense that hopes to help Bosco win its first Southern Section title since 2016.

2. Long Beach Poly

Losing running back Elijah Juarez, who dominated Moore League play last year, means the Jackrabbits can’t be as run-heavy as they were last year. Fortunately, sophomore quarterback Shea Kuykendall has been one of the breakout stars of the local 7-on-7 passing tournaments, setting Poly up for a different look on offense as it tries to add to its streak of consecutive Moore League titles.

3. Los Alamitos

The Griffins’ vaunted defense took a hit with the graduations of Michael-Allen Reddy and Nicholas Valenzuela, but Los Al’s new senior class seems capable of filling the voids. Outside linebacker Giovanni De Leon will take on a bigger role while defensive tackle Zatyvion Miller provides the Griffins with a game-plan wrecker who can make big plays in the backfield. Paired with a steady offense that returns senior quarterback Cade McConnell, Los Al will try to win 10 games for the first time since 2004.

4. Long Beach Wilson

If any team is going to challenge Poly for the Moore League title, it’ll be Wilson. Millikan and Lakewood underwent coaching changes during the offseason, and Compton looks ready to compete for a playoff spot, but not a league crown. The Bruins return most of their starting offense and defense. This includes last year’s three leading tacklers (Ethan Moxley, Brett Dowgiewicz and Soloman Bowie) and Ryan Pettway, a first-team All-Moore League quarterback in 2018.

5. Mayfair

The Monsoons beat Wilson a year ago, but Mayfair has far more holes to fill than the Bruins. The losses of quarterback Josh Calvin (Utah State) and safety Chris Adimora (Texas) are tough, though Semaj Verner and Malachi Lyles are ready to step up on defense. The biggest question is how the Monsoons will fill out the offensive line around tackle Angel Hernandez after losing their four other starters. If Mayfair figures out the right formula up front, junior running back Tstrong Mataele could be in for a big season.

6. Paramount

The Pirates are coming off of a season where they went undefeated in league and claimed the San Gabriel Valley League championship, while the league’s second-place finisher — Warren — lost its head coach and most of its key contributors. This puts Paramount in a good position to repeat, but the Pirates aren’t without question marks. There are no quarterbacks on the roster with much varsity experience. But whoever replaces the graduated Kingston Hala will benefit from the return of receivers Darius Wallace and Anthony Williams III.

7. Millikan

After two playoff runs under head coach Justin Utupo, the Rams are under new leadership in Romeo Pellum. Millikan’s passing attack should be strong with the return of quarterback Qeanu Campbell-Caldwell, a player the previous Millikan staff was worried might get poached by a private school. Finding offensive balance will be key for the Rams given that returning players only accounted for 87 rushing yards in 2018.

8. Compton

The Tarbabes came tantalizingly close to a playoff appearance in 2018 and are looking to break through this season. Despite the losses of Niles Hibbert and several other key players at the skill positions, Compton is confident it can improve on offense because of its imposing offensive line. The Tarbabes feature five offensive linemen that weigh over 300 pounds, led by the 380-pound Mathuw Faafia. Even with less experience than last year’s featured players, Jaheim Hunt and Jaishawn Smith should have big holes to run through.

9. Bellflower

The Buccaneers were angry to be left out of the playoffs last season despite a 7-3 record and return looking to complete the postseason mission. Quarterback Joseph Garza returns after an efficient junior campaign in which he completed 57.7 percent of his passes for 1,919 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions. If the Bucs want to make a playoff appearance they’ll need to find answers for the holes left behind by players like Francisco Gutierrez and Nathan Carmody on defense.

10. Lakewood

The Lancers were very young last year, so it’s not inconceivable that they could have a bounce-back year under new head coach Scott Meyer despite the graduation of stud running back Sebastian Kronberger. The key will be how returning starting quarterback Gevani McCoy develops as a junior and if he meshes with his skill guys like receiver Raymond Masoe and Ernie Cartagena.

Adam Grosbard covers USC athletics for the Orange County Register and Southern California News Group. He's previously covered SMU athletics and the WNBA for the Dallas Morning News and high school sports for the Long Beach Press-Telegram. A Pasadena native, he currently lives in the South Bay.

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